


All's Fair in a Jaeger's Freedom

by LiuLuo



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alpha Eren Yeager, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Bottom Reiner Braun, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Development, Courtship, Falling In Love, Family Drama, Fluff and Angst, Human Trafficking, Jealousy, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Not Beta Read, Omega Reiner Braun, Past Abuse, Possessive Behavior, Prince Eren Yeager, Psychological Trauma, Sex, Titan Shifting, Top Eren Yeager
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 19:22:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29813214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiuLuo/pseuds/LiuLuo
Summary: Reiner is an Omegan captive, meant to be bought and sold around for the rest of his life until one day he’s transported to the Kingdom of Paradis where it is illegal to sell humans.The youngest prince of Paradis, Eren Jaeger, sees to it that Reiner is safe and sound as a part of his duty. Reiner, on the other hand, sees Eren as his savior and vows to humbly repay him for liberating him in any way that he can.
Relationships: Reiner Braun/Eren Yeager
Comments: 44
Kudos: 185





	1. The 1st Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Titans are not transferred by devouring the current user
> 
> There is no time limit as to how long a Titan holder will live

Reiner was forced onto his knees with a grunt and was made to look out into the crowd of potential buyers. It was a familiar sight and no matter how many times he’d seen it throughout his life, it was no less nauseating. 

Like always he didn’t know where he was location-wise and had long since stopped caring to find out. It didn't matter where he was when he would always be nothing but a slave in every place he ventured. That's why he'd grown nil to the idea of sightseeing every new country; every new town. 

With these ropes cuffing his wrist, burning into his already bruised skin, he watched everything pass by in a blur. Still, he never once stopped hoping; hoping and praying that someone, _anyone_ would save him from this misery.

He wanted a normal life.

He wanted his freedom.

But after being born into this world filled with pain and torture, _maybe that was asking for too much…_

~*~

  
  


“We really shouldn’t be here right now,” Jean said, trying his hardest to keep up with Eren as they made their way through the crowded market plaza. 

The townspeople around them were bustling with life, buying, selling, and eating. All while the sky was filled with the same amount of bustle from flying blimps, air balloons, and kites. It was a colorful evening and Jean bet that it’d be even more lively if the townspeople knew who exactly was bumping arm to arm with them, at this very moment.

“Your highness," Jean whispered. "We can’t risk being this far away from the capital even if you’re wearing a disguise.” 

Speaking of disguises, Jean made sure his heavy cloak was covering up the royal guard attire that sat underneath: the royal garments were black with silver linings and stood out amongst the crowd of citizens who, every once in a while, got to see them flying around on their ODM Gear. 

If anyone saw what he was wearing, it would draw unwanted attention to himself and the prince. Therefore Jean double-checked the cloak's covertness especially after the prince stopped at yet another stall.

Laid out on the wooden plank were multiple jewelry pieces, to which the prince gladly took to sifting through. One wouldn’t know when first looking at the prince, but he adorned a set of earrings lining his left ear. Mostly hooped, a few studded, and Eren made sure to always add to his vast collection when he could.

With a sigh of having to watch Eren shop, Jean looked over his shoulder, making sure Connie and Sasha weren’t too far behind. He then looked to the right and left of the prince, seeing Armin and Mikasa, steadily keeping their guards up. If anyone happened to recognize the prince, he’d either be bombarded with praises or spotted by a random assassin who'd made it their mission to kill the royal family at any given opening. 

“Your highness,” Jean whispered again just as the prince snagged several pairs of earrings and handed them off to Jean to pack away. Jean tried not to sigh as he was tasked with holding all the things the prince had brought today. Unfortunately, he couldn’t hold back a sigh when he saw the prince drop a bag of coins on the merchant’s stall in return.

“My goodness,” The merchant lady gasped in awe, staring up at the prince with adoration, reaching for the prince’s hand. “Bless you, young man. I pray you will always be in Ymir’s graces.”

The prince stared blankly at the lady and allowed her to kiss his hand until she’d had her fill of his charitable compassion. 

Jean clicked his tongue and took out a handkerchief, waiting until the prince began to walk away before moving to wipe off his dirtied hand. “You highness, I get it, you want to be generous and all but isn’t wasting your allowance on little trinkets doing a bit much?” He asked, knowing that this was the 7th bag of coins he’d given away in the last three hours. Instead of answering, Eren dismissed Jean by choosing to ignore him and started wandering through the crowd once more.

Jean let out a breath, knowing all the guards were unhappy with the current events. They all knew the prince of Paradis was spoiled to a T and did whatever he wanted when he wanted. And even though he harbored a rare Alphan Dynamic and was the successor of the Attack Titan, he had no regard for his safety.

“Your highness, please,” Jean begged for the thousandth time that day. “Queen Carla will be worried if you stay out for too long.” Not only would Eren get a scolding but the royal guards would too. _And no one wanted to face the Queen's wrath, especially Jean._ Sadly, the prince didn’t seem to want to listen.

Suddenly, the prince came to an abrupt stop, causing Jean to run right into his back. From Jean’s peripheral, he could see Armin and Mikasa come to an abrupt halt too, causing a few people to sneer at them for being in the way.

“Your highness?” Jean questioned, watching the prince pull back his hood, showcasing a bandage over his right eye and his unruly hair. As far as disguises go, it worked out great, seeing as the prince didn't look of nobility. Plus the scent-blocking armlet he wore, made it so his Alphan Dynamic wouldn’t be exposed. No one should be able to recognize him this way.

Still, Jean and the others weren’t used to seeing their prince as anything less than the grand and luxuriant royal he was raised to be. And yet somehow he allowed himself to be seen like a commoner at any chance he could get. Perhaps it was the smothering of both his elder brother and parents that made him as rebellious as he was. Or perhaps it was his will as a bearer of all things righteous that kept him coming back to watch over the citizens of the kingdom.

“What’s going on?” Connie asked when he and Sasha caught up with them. Armin and Mikasa stayed off to the side, not wanting to draw unneeded attention to the group of hooded individuals. They instead kept a lookout but were also equally curious as to why Eren had stopped.

“Your highness, what do you see?” Jean looked at the prince and found his expression hardened with his sights focused straight ahead.

Jean peered over the prince’s shoulder, trying to spot what he was looking at and when he did, he showed Connie and Sasha. It was growing dark outside but from afar, they could see a small gathering of people with torches, assembled amongst the trees of the woods. If Eren hadn’t noticed it, then Jean would’ve definitely missed the setup, since it was half-hidden between the trees and also behind a line of market stalls. 

Eren suddenly started forward, his cloak billowing behind him as he did. The guards did the same, scrambling to follow the prince on his everlasting trudge towards the strange setup. Closing in, they kept their distance. Eren chose to enter the woods from the side, keeping his footing light as he snuck through the trees. 

From their concealed positions behind the tree trunks, they could now see the setup in full: A group of people, holding torches to light the area due to the darkening sky, stood around a small stage-like setup. On the stage, were omegas- women and men alike, and they were tied to posts, looking beaten and withered. Three large goons watched over the omegas with weapons pointed at them in an obvious threat to shoot if they tried to escape. The announcer in front of them was happily giving out prices to the crowd of anxious buyers.

“Human trafficking bastards.” Jean grit his teeth in disgust.

“That’s illegal here,” Connie noted softly. “How did they even get on the island?”

“Someone let them in.” Armin easily deduced. 

“I thought we ran all those bastards out years ago,” Jean said, eyes flitting across to what he counted as 10 omegas in need of help.

“There will always be crooks amongst us, Jean. We can’t always spot them.” Armin had to wonder as to why they were doing this so close to the plaza? It was hidden amongst the trees but still, it was too out in the open. Armin also knew that the further away from the capital they got, the fewer Stationary Guards they would see. Even if this was the most peaceful part of Paradis, he would have to talk with Erwin about placing more SG’s in the market plaza areas. 

Eren shrugged off his cloak and held out a hand, silently waiting for what all his guards knew he wanted.

“No, your highness. Don’t do anything stupid. You’ll get scolded again.” Jean warned but Mikasa—the ever-loyal guard—was already handing the prince one of her rifles.

“Mikasa-!?” Jean whispered into a scream. “You’re highness, please think about this, what if-”

“Jean…”

Eren’s dull yet menacing voice stopped the guard in his tracks and he dared himself to look over at the Nobel Alpha. When he finally did, he found the prince to be looking down on him, his wonderful eyes piercing him with a callous bitterness. If Eren wasn't wearing a scent-blocking armlet, Jean knew his Alphan scent would have him, a simple Beta, backing down as well.

“Look there.” Eren turned away from the beta, lifting a foot onto a rock as he stared out at the row of battered omegas. “Lives being made to waste… being sold around into slavery… being made to serve,” He grumbled darkly, clenching the rifle in his hands as he got into a position to aim the gun.

“B-But,” Jean stuttered. “You can’t just kill people because-”

“Miscreants… scum.” Eren’s eyes squinted through the scope, fingers toying with the trigger. “Not people.”

Jean gulped, backing off in light of what was about to happen. He knew that their prince was righteous and mighty then again… he was also reckless and oftentimes... deadly. Connie touched Jean's shoulder in a comforting manner, for no one could go against Eren even if they wanted to. Jean closed his eyes, flinching with every gunshot that sounded throughout the woods. The sounds of birds squawking, a group of screams, and a herd of retreating footsteps followed right after Eren’s death sentence.

“Arrest all of them,” Eren ordered as he lifted the rifle onto his shoulder. 

Jean felt Connie’s hand leave his shoulder as he went to detain the people from the audience. Before long, Jean opened his eyes, trying and failing to keep his eyes averted from the dead bodies of the announcer and the three goons who were bleeding on the ground.

“Jean.” 

Jean slowly looked over at his prince, straightening up a bit as to not look wimpy. “Y-Yes?”

“Never hesitate to kill.” Jean went stiff when Eren’s hand touched his shoulder, his eyes a bit crazed as he spoke, “Not for low-lives like them.”

“Y-Yes your highness.” Jean saluted with a fist to his chest before letting himself relax when the prince began to walk away. 

It was just like he thought, _his prince had no hope in him._ Jean was the newest of the guards after all; he, Connie, and Sasha were. Unlike him though, Connie and Sasha seemed to pick up on situations like this one easily. They could handle the bloodshed.

Jean knew that if he wanted to work up in the ranks and make it to the positions Levi and Erwin held, he would have to buck up and take charge. With that, Jean straightened up and went to detain the people Eren deemed as scum.

\--

With wide eyes, Reiner watched a man approach from the midst of the trees, carrying a rifle on his shoulder. The fire from the stationary torches cast shadows on his face, making it so Reiner could see the intensity of his eyes; they were deadened and downright frightening looking in the low light but he was the one carrying the rifle which meant… _he was the one that shot those traffickers._

“Release them.” The long-haired man ordered his guards, keeping his sights on the two omegas directly in front of him. He first stopped in front of the omega next to Reiner, bent to a knee, and began untying the ropes. 

“Don’t worry,” The man, _a scentless man_ , Reiner realized, told them. “You’re free.”

Reiner blew out a soft breath of relief when the man finally moved to untie his bindings. The omega was still having a hard time fully believing this was true. _To have someone save him? A lowly omega who’d been a slave all his life?_ It didn’t seem real; he felt as if it wasn’t but... _it was._

This mysterious man had come to his rescue simply because he was a good person. Reiner hadn’t met a good person in such a long time and he sure as hell hadn’t expected to meet one today.

Reiner flinched when the man cut away his bindings, distress permeating through his scent. Eren quickly caught on, moving to slip a hand up his own jacket sleeve. Renier watched him pull out a silver armlet and what followed was a strong scent, blasting about the space around them. It was tender, compassionate, and all-around comforting, instantly calming the omega’s distress. And it was… an Alpha’s.

Reiner stared up at the Alpha, mouth slightly agape with shock. Omegas were rare but Alphas were even rarer, with them only being born every once in a blue moon. In 9 of the world's greatest nations, only the rulers of those nations held the Alpha gene which meant that... _Reiner’s savior was of royalty._

Reiner watched the Alpha examine the bruises on his wrist made by years and years of being roped and scuffed together.

“These need to be treated,” Eren murmured before helping the omega stand up. Reiner stumbled as he did, soon feeling a warm hand splay on his lower back to help balance him.

Fully balanced and being able to stand on his own two feet, Reiner still hadn't taken his eyes away from his savior. Especially after being surrounded by such an attractive and soothing scent. _He wanted to properly thank him._

“I-I…” Renier was parched and struggled to speak but he wouldn’t let that stop him. “I can’t thank you enough f-for freeing me.” He moved to bow, lowering his body so his forehead was touching the dirty ground. “I-I’m in your debt.” His arms trembled from the uncomfortable position but he stayed down, wanting to give his savior the highest of thanks. 

“You misunderstand.” The alpha said and Reiner went still, feeling a hand on his back coaxing him to look up. “You’re free now. You owe no debt.”

Reiner stared at him, star-struck by those deep green eyes that seemed to hypnotize him. “But I-I would feel better if I could just... repay you somehow.” He bowed low again, his injuries stinging in this position. “P-please, tell me how I should repay you.”

“Raise your head,” Eren said but chose to lift the omega’s chin, staring into his pained eyes. “Your debt is paid in full.”

“B-But-”

“Hush.” Eren lightly reprimanded, letting his scent comfort the omega. “What did I just tell you?”

“...T-That I owe you nothing.” Reiner shivered slightly when the alpha rubbed a gentle thumb across his cheek. 

“Good,” Eren said, letting go of the omega’s face and moved to stand up once more. He held out a hand for the omega to take, watching as the hesitant blonde did just that. “You will go and live in the sanctuary now. You’ll be safe here, in Paradis.” Eren reassured, making sure the omega was stable enough before letting go. 

Reiner continued to stare at his savior, soon hearing someone call him ‘your highness.’ _So Reiner was right. This alpha was royalty and he was... one of the princes of Paradis?_

“Sasha, Connie,” Eren called out, making Reiner break out of his thoughts just so he could listen to the voice of the man who saved him, “Take the omegas to the sanctuary.” Reiner went still when Eren’s eyes landed on him once more. “And make sure they’re properly dressed and well-fed.”

“Yes, your highness.” They saluted in unison.

Reiner watched after the prince’s retreating figure, his brown hair catching the light from the torch's flame as it blew behind him. And Reiner wanted nothing more but to thank him again and again until his voice was hoarse from overuse, for he’d been saved from a livelihood of slavery that he never thought he’d escape from. 

If he could, Reiner wanted to properly repay the prince… _He had to._ No matter how profoundly the prince rejected the idea of repayment, Reiner knew he wouldn't feel satisfied until he did.  
  


~*~

  
  
  


“What were you thinking, Eren!? Sneaking out again?”

Eren had long since removed his disguise including the eye bandage and the fake goatee and mustache. He let his hair hang loose and split it down the middle, that way it was masking his peripheral vision on either side of his face. He listlessly stared at his half-eaten plate, attempting to zone out his mother’s disapproval.

“You even took our best guards with you?”

Eren sighed softly, choosing to start eating again. “I didn’t ask them to come along. They followed.”

“Of course they would follow!” Carla refuted. “You’re a prince, Eren. What is it that you’re not understanding about that? Do you know how valuable your position is?”

Eren chose to say nothing, essentially ignoring his mom as he proceeded to finish the rest of his dinner. The massively nicely decorated dining room was where Carla usually decided to express her grievances about Eren’s day out. She always did in the same exact manner as she did today- choosing to berate and scold her son instead of congratulating him.

“Eren, how many times do I have to tell you about the risks of leaving the palace?” Carla continued to argue. “There are assassins that want to put an end to the royal family- you know that. They could be anywhere within Paradis, waiting to strike at any moment-.”

Eren briskly stood up and slammed his fist on the table. “You wanted me to just watch them suffer!?”

“Eren.” Carla was exasperated. “That is not what I meant,” Carla spoke in a softer voice this time. “You know that is not what I meant. Of course, those omegas deserved to be saved but… you are a prince and our son and-” 

“Whether or not I’m the prince or your son, doesn’t make my life any more valuable than theirs.” Eren glared at his mother. “If you have a problem understanding that, then you can piss off!” 

“Eren, sit down and watch your tone,” Grisha warned with menacing anger in an attempt to quell his son’s irritance but that didn’t stop the alpha from leaving.

Carla looked saddened, watching Eren exit the room. She sighed, wondering where she’d gone wrong in raising that boy. He was nearing the age of 21 and yet, he still carried with him that spike of brashness and he was always so quick to anger. She expected her son to know that she truly sympathized with the victims of that auction but that her child's well-being would always come first.

“I’ll talk to him,” Zeke spoke up after a while, pushing his chair away from the table and giving Carla a reassuring smile.

“Thank you, dear. I can always count you, Zeke.”

It didn’t take long for Zeke to find his little brother's whereabouts. As big as the palace was, there was only one place where Eren went to mope. Zeke found Eren in the east wing, sitting on the large balcony that looked out at the kingdom of Paradis. 

“Making Carla mad on a daily basis. I’d say today you set a new record, seeing as you actually finished your dinner before leaving this time around.” Zeke watched as dark green eyes peered his way.

“Zeke.” Eren dully murmured with a small frown adorning his features.

“And here I was still hoping that you’d call me ‘Zekey’ like you used to when you were younger.” Zeke went to lean against the stone railing next to the other alpha. “You were so adorable back then. But even now I see that my cute little brother can’t be stopped.” Eren sneered and slapped away the hand that began to ruffle his hair. 

Zeke chuckled, readjusting his glasses as he looked out at the kingdom. “I’ve never once talked to my mother the way you do. Perhaps it’s because she wasn’t as outspoken as yours is.” 

“Hn. Let’s switch then.” Eren said but both he and Zeke knew he didn't mean it. Eren wouldn’t give his mother up for anything. And Zeke was a product of Grisha’s 1st wife. Unfortunately, Dina died during childbirth, bringing along with her the child that would’ve been Zeke’s younger sister.

“Cut her some slack, Eren.” Zeke ruffled Eren’s hair, glad that the alpha didn’t push his hand away this time around. “She’s right. The assassination attempts have picked up as of late. We need to keep the crown prince safe.”

“Why don’t you just take over after father instead?”

Zeke sighed softly, even though he too was an alpha… “Uncle Kruger chose you to inherit the Attack Titan, Eren. Because of that, it’s your right to take fathers place.”

“My right?” Eren scoffed disdainfully.

“You’ll do good.” Zeke encouraged. “You hold the might of a great leader.”

“Don’t regret your decision when I run this place to the ground.” Eren mused.

Zeke chuckled. “Ah, I’d be long gone before that happens.”

“Traitor.”

Zeke shrugged. “There’s always another alternative out there. No need to stick to one path and stay loyal to one person your entire life.”

“Try saying that to Yelena.”

“...Nevermind. Maybe some loyalty is needed.”

Eren shook his head, a small grin curling his lips.

“It’s a good thing you saved those omegas.” Zeke praised. “They need a good home and I know you wouldn’t stop until they had one. It’s no wonder uncle Kruger chose you to be the next host.”

Eren sighed. He always wondered why uncle Kruger chose him as the successor of the Attack Titan. But seeing as the man was able to see the next hosts’ future memories, he most definitely knew things that no one else knew. 

Still... there were some cases where the previous Titan users went against fate and passed down the Titan to someone else entirely; thus creating a new path and a new set of future memories. His uncle was one of those new paths and since then, he’d always been a free spirit, wanting to do nothing but to help those in need in any way he could.

His uncle Kruger had instilled in Eren that same justice and for that, Eren was grateful. He wished to see his uncle again but as of right now, he wasn’t here. He was too busy traveling the world. All Eren had from him now were letters and even then, those were rare.

“You need a mate,” Zeke said randomly. “Before you’re old and brittle.”

“Heh… you should be worrying about yourself.” Eren retorted. “Yelena won’t wait long, brother.”

Zeke cleared his throat and pushed up his glasses as a nervous tick of his. “Unlike me, the crown prince needs heirs. I’m telling you this because I heard Carla and our dad talking about it the other day- about pairing you up with someone.”

Eren exhaled, moving away from the stone railing. “I have better things to worry about. Having a mate would only distract me.” 

“As you grow older, you’ll learn to love the idea of having a mate.” Zeke also moved away from the railing.

Eren gave a hushed laugh. “Make no mistake, Zeke. I won’t fall for such distractions, and I think it’d be better for you to have a child, that way they could be the next heir.”

“As I said before,” Zeke locked eyes with Eren, seriousness in his expression. “Uncle Kruger didn’t choose me, Eren... he chose you.”

Eren didn’t reply, he simply stared back at Zeke, not missing the bitterness in his tone.

“It’s about time you start taking your role seriously,” Zeke murmured, looking off into the distance once more.

“Whatever.” Eren scoffed softly, giving his older brother one last look before making his way off the balcony. Sauntering down the hallway towards his bedroom, he let his thoughts roam away from the frustrating topic of crown princes and heirs and suddenly couldn’t help but wonder if those omegas were doing well at the sanctuary. Maybe he'd go there later on and check it out.


	2. What is Freedom?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reiner’s life at the sanctuary so far. He meets the Prince again.

Reiner was abruptly woken up by the will of a long-winded dream that had eventually turned into a nightmare. He panted heavily, his fingers gripping the sheets below as his eyes adjusted to the scenery around him, the fog clearing. And despite knowing where he was, his brain's navigator hadn’t fully processed that this was his genuine reality.

Past the small room he’d been given in the sanctuary, Reiner swore he could see it then: the basements, where they usually kept the slaves to be plucked out amongst the few and sold around for years to come. Omegas were needed for a variety of tasks that the wealthy and plentiful populace didn’t think necessary for them to be done by their own hands. And ever since Reiner could remember, he had lived amongst that society; a society where freedom was a distant memory. For he was born into a world from a mother who was also imprisoned to a life of servitude. 

Reiner could feel bile building up in his stomach then, his senses grumbling with nausea. He stood up slowly, as to not stumble due to the dizziness, and made his way to the small bathroom. Leaning his sweaty palms against the sink, he held his breath in an attempt to quell his need to vomit. The longer he stood there taking deep breaths, the better it got. And thankfully, as he began to brush his teeth and wash his face, the feeling had all but disappeared.

As customary, he took a morning shower, keeping to a routine he’d pick up in the last five days. The steaming water hitting his face was always nice and well… as opposed to the cold and brittle ones he'd been allowed to take before, Reiner could never get enough of actually having the chance to experience a hot shower. 

It didn't take long and he finished getting dressed right after. He let a towel hang off his shoulders when sauntering into the small living room to sit on the couch. Sadly, it was there when the feeling of nausea rose once more. When he leaned forward, he hugged himself, pressing his arms into his stomach and he took deep breaths. Early on he found out that the nausea never went away for long. It’s because he was always on edge and his mind was always rejecting this current reality as something of a falsehood. He knew he was safe but at the same time, he didn’t believe he was safe. All of this honestly felt like nothing but a dream even though… it wasn’t. 

There was a flutter from the curtains as wind blew in through the open window, bringing him back to reality. From outside he could hear car horns, footfalls, and laughter, all of which always managed to break through the surface of his inner turmoils. 

_This was real,_ Reiner tried and tried again to convince himself.

_This was real and he was free._

Just then, the face of his savior popped into his mind and Reiner’s eyes slightly widened in response. _That’s right… the prince of Paradis, Eren Jaeger, had freed him._ Reiner moved to sit up a bit, his nausea fading as his thoughts migrated to the alpha’s favorable actions- better yet, the favorable actions of the kingdom as a whole. 

Unlike the rest of the world, the kingdom of Paradis was a literal paradise for omegas. Because of that, a lot of them defected from other countries just to live here but with the immense trafficking situation happening on the outside, it made it harder for them to get here. 

King Grisha Jaeger was doing everything he could to help those on the outside but country relations were at risk of shambling because of said ideologies. Not all nations believed that omegas should walk on the same ground as the others; thus creating centuries and centuries of slavery and servitude. Of course, as the years went on and times began to change, some nations began to take issue with the problem of servitude and made it known that it was immoral in every aspect of life. 

Due to the matter being such a complicated topic, the nations that depended on servitude tried to hide the problem by exchanging their slaves out of the public eye. But just because the auctions weren't advertised in newspapers anymore didn't mean it was permanently banned. Now, those 'slave nations' just kept quiet; consequently, coining the term human trafficking by all those who disagreed.

The kingdom of Paradis was the first nation to ban the act of trafficking completely. They made it known to the world that the traffickers would face heavy trials if they were ever caught. 

As time went by, though, a particular prince by the name of Eren Jaeger made a name for himself. He was known to take the punishment an extra mile by ruling out lives in a rather… lethal manner. He proclaimed that anyone who disrupted a person's freedom deserved to die. It was a rumor that Reiner had heard in passing once but he’d been too forlorn to even think it was true.

_Not until five days ago where he witnessed the act with his own two eyes._

At the thought, Reiner caressed his blemished wrist, thinking back to the prince's gentle touches and willful sympathies. His voice and his eyes—viridian and knife-like—had been marred into Reiner’s mind ever since. 

_If possible, Reiner hoped to see him again..._

A knock on the door startled Reiner into jumping off the seat. Before he could think better of it, he was backing away with a heavy heart pounding against his chest and the nausea boiling again. The edges of his vision began to darken and he was panting heavier, recalling the dark and dirty basements with chains, screams, and knocking— 

_“Mr. Braun?”_

Reiner blinked out of his stupor, once again realizing where he was. Then there was another soft knock on the door.

_“Are you awake, sir?”_

Reiner took a shaky breath before making his way across the room to open the door. Outside stood a short lady who had with her a food cart that was decorated with an abundance of choice meals.

“Good morning sir, I hope you’re doing well.” She smiled up at him. “Today we have a vast selection of breakfast foods. You’re free to choose from any of them here.” She gestured toward the cart, patiently waiting for the omega to decide on a plate.

Not looking directly into the woman's eyes, Reiner mumbled, “Thank you,” before choosing a random plate of food that'd been graciously covered with a napkin.

“I’ll see you at lunch, Mr. Braun." She tilted her head. "That is unless you're ready to give shopping a try? I cold call one of the helpmates to show you around the-”

“N-no,” Reiner stuttered. “It’s fine, I'll just stick with the same routine for now."

The lady kept her small warm and understanding. “Of course, Mr. Braun. I’ll see you at lunchtime then."

Giving a curt nod, Reiner slowly closed the door, letting out a breath as the pressure on his shoulders disappeared. 

_He was starting to think that he'd never get used to life at the sanctuary._

The sanctuary that he and the other captives had been sent to wasn’t a simple 'building' like Reiner had pictured beforehand. It was a town; a massive town that was located a little ways away from the capital. And upon entering, Reiner was shocked by the livelihood that took place here. 

Omegas and Betas alike conversed on equal grounds and everyone here was so _unbelievably_ kind. Once again Reiner was stuck in a state of disbelief. This reality was too good to be true. _It had to be._

When Reiner first got here, he and a few other omegas were escorted to a recovery area. There, he was treated for injuries and given an extensive medical check-up by the first doctor he’d ever met in his entire life. She’d been the second nicest person he’d encountered that day and made sure Reiner was well taken care of. Finding that he was free from any and all infections and diseases, he was sent to receive a mental maintenance check-up next. 

It was uncomfortable, to say the least. Having a doctor probe his mind by asking unpleasant questions, wasn't something Reiner was ready for. After a while of being exposed to the subject matters of suicide, anxiety, and depression, Reiner closed in on himself and stopped speaking altogether. The doctor all but smiled and eased off a bit, choosing to send Reiner off with a promise to always be there when he was finally ready to open up.

Afterward, he was tasked with making a small overnight bag. With that, he was guided to a stockroom full of clothes and other needed necessities. It was strange having been given the opportunity to choose things for himself. Especially when he had no sense of design. At some point or another, he chose to stand off to the side, feeling all the more uncomfortable for being by himself. 

“Hi, there! You need any help?” A short blond-haired girl asked, waving at Reiner. 

When Reiner didn't respond, she pursed her lips. “...You okay?”

There was a moment's pause before Reiner found it in himself to answer. “I’m fine.”

The girl moved forward, trying to get a closer look at Reiner’s face, squinting prettily. “You’re overwhelmed.” She easily put into the words that Reiner couldn't think up.

In response, he nodded softly, awkwardly averting his eyes.

“It’s alright, everyone is at first.” She perked up with a bright smile. “Just think of this as the start of your new life as a citizen of Paradis.”

Reiner allowed himself to look at her, blinking with uncertainty while the girl continued smiling brightly before him.

“My name is Historia.” She stuck out her hand. Reiner looked down thinking about how he’d never shaken hands with someone before. “What’s yours?”

“Reiner.” He hesitantly reached out to shake back.

“Nice to meet you, Reiner.” She chirped happily, keeping a firm hold on his hand. “It's almost midnight and this place closes in a little while so we should hurry and pick something out for you."

"Uh… I..." Being in front of such a bright person, Reiner was at a loss for words. 

"Don't worry," She huffed confidently. "I have a great sense of style. All you have to do is follow my lead."

"W-well—"

"Come on, follow me." It was abrupt when she started pulling him along and he stumbled to keep up.

"They'll be able to finish your registration within the next two days,” Historia informed Reiner as she sifted through a pile of clothes. "And then once they do a background check and everything, you'll be an official citizen of the sanctuary." She assuredly held a white button-up shirt in front of Reiner, visually measuring his frame. "Hm, they don't have a vast collection of sizes here..." 

Reiner looked off to the side, feeling a bit insecure about his more… bulkier size. It made sense that they would cater to smaller omegas considering that was the standard.

“Hm... but I think this will do." She ended up shoving the shirt and five more similar ones into his hands.

Now holding a stack full of shirts and a few pants, he'd tried on, Reiner finally noted that she was an omega like himself. Except compared to him, she seemed to have never suffered. _Had she not been a captive like he was? Was she originally from the island? If she was then perhaps, she was one of the helpers that prowled the sanctuary?_ That had to be it, considering her enthusiasm in assisting Reiner.

“My queen,” Another voice intruded upon their space, and Reiner was soon faced with a tall brunette woman.

“We should be getting back to the guest house soon.”

The woman's expression was hard and intimidating and strangely pointed at the place where Reiner and Historia's hands connected as she pulled him along.

“Ymir, I told you not to call me that in public.” She pouted.

“I’ll call you whatever I want.” She sounded sarcastically respectful.

“Ignore her, Reiner. Let’s get you some sleepwear.”

Reiner was confused during the rest of his clothes picking. This... Ymir person had called Historia ‘her queen’ but Reiner hadn’t heard of an omega ever being given such a high position. Then again, Reiner hadn’t been in tune with the news and rumors as much as everyone else was. 

He’d been tasked with serving and slaving away his entire life and the rumors he’d heard throughout that time had been scarce, at best. So, without him knowing, there very well could’ve been an omega that had taken the title as queen. _But if that were true, then what nation did she rule, and what the hell was she doing in Paradis?_

A little while later, after he'd picked out a few jackets and sleepwear, he and Historia split paths. She happily waved goodbye to him as she was escorted to a motor vehicle by what looked to be guards of some kind.

In the end, Reiner was left both confused and curious as to what kind of person Historia was. And it was a thought he'd store in the back of his mind for later as he was led to his temporary living quarters. It wasn’t until a few days after he was registered as a resident of the sanctuary, that he was moved to an apartment building. There, he was surprisingly given his very own room. 

Since coming to the sanctuary, he had to force himself to get used to the awkwardness that normal life provided. Unfortunately, he found out early on that he really couldn’t. Despite the sanctuary giving him all the tools and opportunities to live a regular life, Reiner refused to take part in it. 

It was cumbersome and Riener wasn't comfortable enough to fully engage in it.

Previously, Reiner thought it was a good thing that they assigned helpmates to assist the omegas on their trek back to normalcy. Things like touring the island, trying out various activities, going shopping for his own food and clothes, as well as finding a job. All of it seemed great because it was the freedom Reiner had been wishing for since he was young but his mental state wasn’t in the place for it. 

He still felt lesser than, as if he didn’t deserve any of this. He had no will pushing him to move forward; no dreams or aspirations; no means of existing in this reality… He was elated that he was free but... he was still confused as to what came after that. 

Ultimately, Reiner chose to hole himself up in his apartment, trying to get used to sleeping on such a soft bed and eating such amazing food. He kept the window open to give the room some semblance of life and on occasion, he’d stand on the balcony and look out at the townspeople below.

And that’s exactly what he did right after finishing breakfast. He basked in the sunlight and stared in awe at the palace that sat on top of a hill, high above everything else. It was pretty far but near enough for Reiner to know that his savior was closer than he’d ever been.

Before long, there was another knock on the door and Reiner flinched but he didn’t plunge into despair like last time. He steeled his nerves, praying that it wasn’t another mental maintenance check. _He truly didn’t want one right now and as it stands, he’d probably never want one._

Despite his unwillingness, he answered the door anyway.

“Reiner?”

For a split second, Reiner’s grief was suspended and he didn’t have to blink twice to recognize _that_ face; a face hadn’t seen in over 10 years. “Ber… Bertholdt?”

“Reiner.” He said again, happily pulling the other omega into a punishing hug. “Reiner, I can’t believe it's you- you’re here.”

Reiner hesitated to hug him back, still riddled in shock and amazement. The emotion of their reunion and the strength of such a long-anticipated hug, made Reiner’s eyes sting with tears. 

He’d forgotten about his childhood friend. _How could he have forgotten?_ Somehow his friend had become a very distant memory— _One of his only happy memories. They were both child slaves that'd been separated early on but even though their time together was short they made the best of it._

“You made it to Paradis.” With praise, Bertholdt pulled back, patting the omega on the shoulder. “Reiner, we’re free.”

“Hn… we are.”

—— 

“I ran away years back… I was fifteen when our group made it to Paradis and I’ve been living here ever since.” Bertholdt finished explaining his grievous journey from slavehood to freedom. It was a long story, having taken up a couple of hours of the day but Reiner didn’t mind. He was just happy that Bertholdt was alive and well.

“How did you know I lived here?” Reiner asked. 

“They have a residential list posted at the check-in area of the sanctuary. It’s used for those who’re wanting to find lost friends or family members. And well…” Bertholdt bashfully scratched the back of his head. “I’ve made it a habit of checking the list just to see if I knew anyone. And today I just so happened to see your name as a new resident.”

“I’m glad you did…” He murmured, idly picking at the top of his pants. “It’s nice to know someone here.”

Bertholdt cracked a smile. “Reiner, how did you make it out?”

“I was already on the island when they had an auction.”

Bertholdt’s eyes went wide. “On the island!?”

Reiner nodded.

“How’s that even possible?” He sighed in disbelief. “Trafficking is illegal here. How did they even get through port security?”

“I’m not sure either,” Reiner explained. “I was blindfolded and, I don’t remember hearing many conversations happening between the traffickers and anyone else.”

“It’s unbelievable… it's rare to have traffickers on the island.” 

The entire world knew omegas were free on the island. The world also knew that the Jaeger brothers, especially Eren, didn’t shy away from killing those that threatened that freedom.

For that, _they had enemies._

The nation that held the Jaw Titan was one of them and the nation with the Warhammer Titan was another one. The other 6 nations became neutral and didn’t delve into any disputes but that didn’t mean they made servitude illegal like Paradis. Slavery was profitable to them and that’s why it stayed around even if it was done _discreetly._ But still, the world knows that Paradis was the strongest nation and to everyone else, that posed a threat.

Bertholdt reached out and touched Reiner’s hand in a comforting manner. “... I’m sorry you had to go through that for… so long.”

Reiner hummed, looked down.

“But it’s okay now.” Bertholdt happily reassured. “Everyone on the island is given a chance to find themselves. You can go to school and get jobs. Eventually, you can move out of the sanctuary and live on your own— you can live anywhere within Paradis.”

Reiner frowned in question. “You don’t live in the sanctuary?”

Bertholdt shook his head. “Not anymore. I have a home and a mat-” He cut himself short, looking embarrassed. 

“You’re mated?”

“Well it's…” Bertholdt blushed, speaking frantically. “It’s not really public, and they don’t live on the island so… it’s hard to contact them but... yeah.”

Reiner offered a small smile. “Congratulations.” 

“I-I’m sure you'll also find a mate and you know…” Berthold tapered off, still feeling flushed and embarrassed. 

Reiner’s smile faltered. “I… guess.” 

Reiner, though he was an omega, he was… burly and muscular from years and years of hard labor. He’d also been told his entire life that he wasn’t pretty enough and so…over time he started to believe it...

_“It’s the prince!”_

A burst of commotion came from outside, alarming both omegas. Reiner was the first to stand up, pulling back the curtain and pulling open the door to the balcony. The rays from the sun greeted him as he stepped out, his hands soon finding the railing to hold him stable as he looked off the edge. Bertholdt quickly joined him.

“It’s really him,” Bertholdt noted, watching as an expressionless man donned in ceremonial attire and royal finery, descended from his horse. 

Reiner swallowed, eyes following the prince’s every move. From the gold lining of his white suit glinting in the sunlight to his hair hanging loose but in neat strands, there was the vast difference from the man Reiner saw the other night. But those eyes… the shape and the brilliance of its color let Reiner know exactly who it was. _His savior._

Chants and praises incited as he walked down the street. Surrounding him were various citizens, wanting to get closer but from all sides of the prince stood a small legion of royal guards. 

“It’s rare to see him out in the open.” Bertholdt pointed out.

“It is?” Reiner questioned, not once tearing his eyes away from the prince.

“Mn, the royal family rarely leaves the palace anymore.”

In saying that, Reiner finally noticed that there were even more guards walking on the rooftops from the building across from his. And from the footsteps he could hear above, they were walking on his rooftop too.

“There’s been a lot of assassination attempts lately.”

Reiner frowned in worry. “Why?”

“Well,” Bertholdt turned around, leaning his elbows back against the railing. “There’s been a lot of speculation as to how much power Paradis should hold. Compared to the other nations, we hold three Titans in total.”

Taken aback, Reiner finally pulled his eyes away from the prince and stared at his friend. “I thought Paradis only possessed the Attack Titan.”

Bertholdt shook his head. “Not until five years ago...” 

The holders usually passed down their Titans within the kingdoms that possessed them. The inheriters were usually either the rulers of the country or a warrior that their nation trusted, but as of late—mostly because of the human trafficking situation—a few Titan holders defected from their nations and now reside in Paradis.

“The Beast and the Colossal are in our possession.” Bertholdt sighed then added. “The Founder is still lost.” And it had been for the last one hundred years. No one knew where it was and if anyone did, there was sure to be an all-out war between the 9 nations.

“In all honesty, it’s Paradis’s right to hold the Founding Titan. They have the most peaceful kingdom, after all. The problem would be finding the next successor.”

 _Shouldn’t the prince be the next successor?_ Reiner inquired mentally as he watched said alpha bend down and ruffle a child's head, offering her the smallest hint of a smile. 

“He was the one that saved me,” Reiner muttered.

Bertholdt blinked. “Eh? Really?” 

“He killed them- the traffickers.” Reiner felt content just thinking about it and Bertholdt was stunned, to say the least. More so that his friend looked happy after talking about ‘murder’ so easily. 

“It’s a good thing he saved you.”

“Hn.” Reiner gave a curt nod.

“My mate doesn’t agree with... his methods.” Berthodlt mentioned. “Actually, a lot of people outside of Paradis don’t. I don’t think I do either—”

“He saved me.” Reiner cut him off, suddenly feeling defensive. “It doesn’t matter how he did it.”

“C-calm down, Reiner.” Bertholdt stuttered, putting his hands up in defensive. “I was just saying…”

Reiner stood aback, realizing his reaction was probably unusual. “Sorry.” The omega soon mumbled, looking aside in shame as he did. But should he really feel ashamed for being happy about it? No matter how the situation was handled, Reiner wouldn’t be here now—free and with Bertholdt—if Eren hadn’t spilled some blood. 

Nevertheless, Reiner chose not to say anything more about the topic. Instead, he watched the prince a bit longer until he was out of sight. Thereafter, Bertholdt suggested that they go out and eat dinner, to which Reiner unwillingly agreed. He would have rather stayed inside but upon arriving at the peaceful little restaurant, Reiner was glad he went. He would probably never go back to unless Bertholdt was with him, however.

While eating, they caught up some more. It was mostly Bertholdt going into more detail about his life in Paradis up until now. He never once brought up the past and seemed to focus on all the good things. For that, Reiner was glad. Having his childhood friend distract him from his deteriorating mind was the best thing that had happened to him since he’d been at the sanctuary. And it went on like that for the next two days. Bertholdt would visit and Reiner would savor the moments of not being alone. It still felt surreal meeting Bertholdt after all this time but they talked as if no time had passed.

Alas, those few days of being lonely came to an end very quickly, for Bertholdt had a job and was only free on weekends. With this, he left Reiner with an address and a promise to visit him soon.

Reiner wasn’t ill-advised to let his childhood friend know that he didn’t exactly know how to read addresses. _Actually… he didn’t know how to read at all._ He also didn’t know how to work a phone or the radio that came with the apartment. He supposed that he could’ve asked the helpmates for assistance but he didn’t want to. He felt ashamed of himself for being so stupid.

After a couple of more days of being all alone, he decided he’d try and visit Bertholdt on his own. The helpmates were there for the exact reason of helping Reiner navigate his way around Paradis but he thought better of it— presuming that if he could pinpoint some of the exact letters on the map and match it with the ones on the address, then he’d be able to navigate his way there by himself.

_Boy was he wrong._

It was dark outside by the time he accepted that his little self-tour was a failure. 

He was lost and with no sort of lighting device. With tonight also being a new moon, Reiner was left without any luminosity. He was completely blinded. 

_What was he thinking? Why did he risk getting lost instead of just asking for help?_

Reiner sighed and started to head back the way he came; instead, feeling grass under his feet and not the path he was previously on. He thought if he just kept walking he would eventually run into something that would help guide him back. _And he was right._

In the distance, he could see a large building that was alight by small lights lining its brick exterior. He continued forward, coming closer and closer to the building, quickly finding out that it looked familiar to something he’d seen before.

A prison.

If the barred windows on the second and third floor were anything to go by, he’d say this was just that. Reiner hesitated then, feeling unsure. 

A prison wasn't a place he wanted to be near at the moment. Even if this was Paradis, he didn’t like the ambiance prisons presented. _The iron bars and the prospect of being trapped._ It cut too close to home for someone like him. But as it stands, what other choice did he have? He couldn't very well stay out all night; therefore, he either went and asked some random prison guard for assistance or proceeded with his blind trek through the dark.

Reiner chose the former.

Reiner rounded the building, ending up at the entrance. Outside, sat two horses and before the omega could even open the door, his nose was hit with a strong set of alpha pheromones.

_Ah, it was his highnesses._

But the scent was different from that gentle smell Reiner had received the day of his rescue. Here, it was ominous and intimidating. Immensely strong and it seemed to surround the entire building.

In response to the pheromones, Reiner could feel his instinctive alarms go off, warning him to retreat but he couldn’t seem to move from his spot. In spite of his omega being fearful, Reiner found himself being more worried than anything. _What if the prince was in trouble? What if he was hurt?_

In a panic, Reiner moved to grab the door handle only to be thrown back onto the ground by the force of the door opening. 

Landing on his behind, Reiner grunted, quickly looking up at a man who had light red hair. At first, the man looked surprised to see Riener, then he glared down at him, swiftly moving to pin the omega to the ground.

“Who the fuck are you?” A hand secured itself around Reiner’s throat, effectively choking him. Reiner's first instinct was to grab the man’s wrist, beginning to use his strength to push the man away and-

“Floch. Let him go.” A dull voice behind Floch commanded.

“My prince, this man was sneaking around.” Floch’s grip hardened, and Reiner choked for air. “I’m sure that he’s after your life—”

It was abrupt when the redhead's body was flung to the side by Eren kicking his midriff, leaving him rolling a few inches away from Reiner with a painful grunt. 

“You idiot, he’s an omega.” 

“My prince,” Floch managed to right himself, holding his throbbing arm as he did. “I hope you know that omegas can be assassins too—”

"Go home, Floch.” The alpha stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets with an exhausted sigh as his eyes flickered to Reiner, instantly recognizing him. 

Floch grimaced. “But, my prince-”

“What the hell did I just tell you?” Eren’s scent flared menacingly as he cast his hardened sights on the red-haired beta.

“Yes, my prince.” Floch stood and bowed while holding his injured arm. “Should I send someone back to watch over the prisoner?” He said as he straightened up.

“We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

“Yes, my prince.” The beta said, bowing respectfully once more. "Tch." He glared at Reiner one last time before turning around and heading toward his horse.

Reiner was too busy trying to even out his breaths to notice that the prince had kneeled down by his side. He stared at Reiner, focus flickering over the omega’s face as the sound of hooves retreated in the background.

“What are you doing so far away from the sanctuary? And in the middle of the night… alone.” Eren noted softly.

“I…” Reiner pulled his hand away from his neck that was still stinging with pain. “I got lost.”

“Lost,” Eren said, eyes catching sight of the map in Reiner’s hand. If Eren remembered correctly, the map as well as the street signs scattered about the island, had been translated into 4 different neighboring languages. From the omega’s accent, Eren could tell that he was fluent in his own language so he deduced that he should be able to understand both the map and signs.

“The map there tells you exactly where to go,” Eren said looking back at Reiner.

Reiner looked down, causing Eren to narrow his eyes. "What is it?"

"I… I can't read."

“You can’t read?”

“No, your highness.” Reiner fidgeted awkwardly, his cheeks heating up in shame. _To have the prince find out that he was as dense as a log of all things._ “I don’t have a light source either.” The omega grumbled, flinching when he felt cool fingers caress his throat. Reiner was momentarily frozen in place, watching Eren inspect his neck with brazen concern and most of all, irritance.

“Floch- that bastard,” Eren murmured in a hushed voice. Without warning, he stood up. “Give me your hand.”

Reiner blinked, coming back to himself and let the prince help him up. He followed the alpha to his horse, watching him easily board the saddle.

“Get on, I'll show you the way back.” Eren stuck out his hand but Reiner stepped back, nervously looking off to the side.

“What’s wrong?”

“I... don't know how to ride a horse either.”

The prince clicked his tongue, his expression darkening and it made Reiner wonder if he’d done something wrong. 

“I’m sorry if I’m troublesome.” Reiner scratched at his arm with unease.

“It’s not you… it’s the ones that made you this way." Eren grit through his teeth, eyes sliding away from Reiner for a brief moment before he was sticking out his hand once more. “C’mon.” He encouraged the omega. “Put your foot on the stirrup and swing your leg over his back. I’ll support your weight.” 

Reiner wasn’t sure about Eren being able to support his weight. Sadly, as an omega, Reiner wasn’t the smallest of ones and he was taller than the prince by a few inches. On the other hand, he found that being under this alpha’s frosty gaze somehow made him feel smaller; small enough to at least try and board the saddle. 

It wasn’t as easy as the prince explained, even with the alpha holding his hand. Reiner stumbled and tried again only to fail. Eventually, through trial and error, he was finally able to firmly seat himself behind Eren.

“Hold on,” Eren instructed while grabbing the reins, starting a slow trot after feeling the omega’s arms wrap around his middle. 

"I'll kill all of them… those traffickers.” Through Eren's unexpected decree the speed of the horse began to pick up. "Not knowing how to read or ride a horse, it shouldn't make you feel like you're the one at fault. You should blame them- not yourself."

Reiner was a bit startled, hearing such a proclamation. Especially when he couldn’t see himself harboring the same amount of hatred and anger the prince had for those traffickers. Even after being held captive for all these years, he could never think of killing someone. 

_Why? Was there something wrong with him? Shouldn't it be normal to want revenge?_

The only thing that seemed to have pissed him off was Bertholdt’s opinion about the prince’s killing methods. In knowing that, it was apparent that Reiner held at least a little a bit of contempt for his captors. And yet, all Reiner could think about since he got here was getting closer to his savior. 

During their ride, Reiner also pondered as to why the prince and one of his royal guards were at the prison in the first place. From the menacing scent he smelled earlier, it couldn’t have been for anything good. But it wasn’t as if the omega could ask. Still, even if it wasn’t about that, Reiner wanted to talk to the prince.

"Your highness, if you're willing to answer, why do you sometimes go out in disguise and others times you don't?"

“I come out without a disguise to give the public a bit of… faith- to let them know that they can trust us.” As the horse picked up more speed, Eren leaned forward a bit, forcing Reiner to hold on tighter. “My mom would disagree but us royals shouldn’t hide away from our citizens. They should always know that we’re right there with them. So, every once in a while, I make a public appearance to send them that message.”

“Your highness is…” Reiner smiled. “Very kind.” 

Eren huffed and it sounded similar to a laugh but with the galloping hooves, Reiner couldn’t tell. “I’m glad you think so. Not many outsiders do.” They remained quiet and Reiner made do with basking in the prince's scent until they reached the sanctuary.

“Where do you live?” Eren asked after helping Reiner off the horse.

“On the second floor. Room 216.”

The prince didn’t wait for Reiner to thank him before moving past him and toward the stairwell. Reiner quickly followed after, curious as to how much kinder could the prince get after showing him the way home _and_ walking him up to his door. Turns out, it was more than dropping him off, seeing as the prince made Reiner hand him the keys to his apartment, forcibly invading his space.

Reiner awkwardly stood in the living room area, watching as the prince inspected the place. Before long, the prince came out of the kitchen and stopped in front of the omega with an unreadable stare.

“What else don’t you know how to do?”

“Uh…” Renier timidly scratched his cheek. “It’s alright, I can figure it out on my own-”

“Tell me.”

With the influence of the alpha's knife-like eyes, Reiner reluctantly ended up confessing to the alpha about his setbacks in a shy manner. The prince, as always, didn’t seem deterred or judgemental, rather, he openly and patiently showed the omega how to execute a multitude of simple tasks. 

“As for reading and writing, we have schools for people with similar cases like you,” Eren explained after showing the omega how to work the radio. “There are people here that will show you the way.”

“Y-Yes, I’m aware of that, your highness. Thank you, for your help.” Reiner bowed in understanding. 

Eren studied the omega a little longer, quickly growing aggravated. The way he moved and the way he spoke, it was all too mindful, too cautious, and very submissive. Eren had met other omegas in the sanctuary that acted the same way, all because their freedom had been stripped away from them at a young age… To be conditioned and traumatized in such a way. _All of it pissed Eren off to no end._

Eren averted his eyes when the omega looked back at him. “I guess you’re all set up now.”

“Your highness,” Reiner started. “What you’ve done for me so far is… I can’t thank you enough.” 

“Don’t thank me.” Eren stopped him. 

Reiner remained persistent, stepping closer. “If there’s anything I can do for you, then I’d-”

Eren frowned. “I’ve told you before- that you owe me nothing in return.”

“But it’s the only way I can show my appreciation.”

“Live,” Eren told the omega. “Do whatever you want to do. Be free. That’s all the gratitude I’ll ever need from you.”

Reiner furrowed his brows in confusion. He didn’t understand why the prince didn't want repayment. 

“I should be heading back.” Eren turned away,

“Ah,” Without warning, Reiner reached out and grabbed the prince’s hand, stopping him in place. “I…” He faltered, knowing what he wanted to say but not wanting to seem clingy. “Will you come here again?”

Eren gave a shrug, expression aloof. “Who knows.”

Reiner wanted to say more but Eren was already moving out of reach and toward the door before he could. He left Reiner’s hand emptily hanging in the air as he opened the door.

“Get some rest and don’t be afraid to ask for help.” Eren dimly advised him before shutting the door. 

Reiner sighed, growing somber and lonely once more. He went to sit down on the couch to resume his normal downcast position until he spotted something black in the corner of his eye.

_It was the prince’s jacket._

Reiner snagged it, holding it out in front of him at arm's length. The black cloth was unexpectedly dense, dissimilar to how it looked at first glance. And the smell of alpha pheromones lingered heavily- _blessedly,_ in Reiner’s opinion. He remembered Eren taking it off during his short tutoring session, leaving Reiner with a clear view of the muscle that sat underneath his other shirt.

Although Reiner's own private thoughts made him blush, he still felt compelled to slowly and tentatively bring the fabric to his nose, his shoulders instantly relaxing as he did. It was then he realized that the only way for him to fully calm down was to be in the prince’s presence- better yet, surrounded by the prince’s scent. This much should hold him over until they met again… and hopefully, it was soon.

—— 

When Eren was halfway down the hallway, he halted in place, the thoughts of his missing jacket taking over his mind. He glanced back at the omega’s door, knowing that's exactly where he left it. Then a fleeting thought crossed his mind: The omega, Reiner was his name, seemed to be in constant distress. Even if the omega was trying to hide it, an alpha’s sense of smell was far stronger than a beta’s so he knew. The distress that omega harbored was almost torturous. 

Eren exhaled but didn’t have to think about the matter for long before he was moving toward the stairwell.

_He’d let the omega keep his jacket for now if only to calm his distress. Maybe then, the omega would be able to gain some confidence and snap out of that servitude mindset. If so, then Eren could have some peace of mind because, at this point, he’d be worrying about that poor omega all night long..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the feedback everyone! I will be continuing!💛 I've made an outline so this story is pretty much thoroughly planned out now!
> 
> Please let me know if you want Long chapters like this one or Shorter ones!😊
> 
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/LiuLuo14)


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